If life is a journey, friends are fellow travellers that make our journey unforgettable. The moments we share with our friends always remain vivid in our memory—be it playing games in elementary school, gossiping about our crushes as teens, or going to a friend’s wedding as the best man or the maid of honour. But once we’re past our formative years, we might find that we no longer make friends as easily. What was once part and parcel of life might suddenly require conscious effort. Now, we need to learn how to make friends as an adult. According to a study published in the Psychological Bulletin, an individual’s circle of friends starts shrinking by the time they reach their late 20s.
It is not all that surprising. As children, we were willing to be vulnerable. But as adults, we tend to conceal our vulnerabilities from others. As children, we weren’t judgemental. But as adults, we are set in our ways that limit our pool of friends. Add family commitments, jobs and our own mental blocks to the mix and there is hardly any space to squeeze in new friends.
But on the bright side, we mature with age and learn how to build and maintain friendships with people who are right for us. Here are a few excerpts from people over 30, where they talk about the challenges they face in making new friends, and what they do to overcome them.
As adults, we tend to conceal our vulnerabilities, become set in our ways, and face various commitments and mental blocks that limit our ability to make new friends.
Age itself does not determine the ability to make friends. However, as individuals grow older, they may have more established careers and social routines, which can either facilitate or hinder the process of making new friends.
Quality time and shared interests are essential for building and nurturing friendships. Investing in meaningful connections, being open-minded, and finding common ground with like-minded individuals contribute to the foundation of long-lasting friendships.
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